One guy’s in prison for armed robbery. The other clocks in at 7 a.m. and wears a badge.
But both say the same thing: “I’m locked up too.”
Eight hours a day, the guards are inmates too—same bars, same noise, same mental beatdown.
“Welcome to Warren” flips the script on prison docs. Instead of focusing just on inmates, it forces you to see the guards too—the ones who are locked in every day right alongside them.
My partner Rob Kelly ranked this #26 on his “The Best Prison Documentaries” list (he’s up to 33 of them!).
Trailer for “Welcome to Warren”
The only trailer I can find is here:
https://www.films.com/dealerpreview/35292
You Can’t Make This Sh*t Up
- Guards and inmates both admit they start to think the same way over time—like they’re stuck in a place that forgets them.
Watch “Welcome to Warren”
You can stream “Welcome to Warren” for free on Vimeo here: https://vimeo.com/45002333
Ratings:
- My Rating: 90/100
- IMDB Rating: 8.9/10
Director’s Note: Brent E. Huffman directed this 30-minute doc. He’s known for a bunch of Frontline documentaries including “Plastic Wars” and “China Undercover”.
Release Date: 2004
My Review of “Welcome to Warren”
The Setup
This punchy film dives into life inside Ohio’s Warren Correctional Institution—not just from the prisoners’ side, but through the eyes of the guards too.
You hear both groups talk about what it’s like to spend years in the same fluorescent-lit hallways. One guard even says, “Eight hours a day, I’m locked up here too.”
More Highlights from the Doc
- One corrections officer admits the sameness of each day slowly eats at your mind—and that he feels like an inmate himself.
- Inmates use ripped-up sheets and cardboard scraps to create privacy curtains around their open toilets. It’s the most dignity they can scrounge up.
- The interviews feel raw and honest. You can tell these men—on both sides of the bars—don’t get asked to share their feelings very often.
- The doc doesn’t lean on music or dramatics. It’s all echoing corridors, steel doors, and the dull buzz of fluorescent lights.
- You get an inside look at how guards de-escalate fights, deal with suicidal inmates, and try to keep morale up without losing their own minds.
Lesser-Known Details from the Doc
- The documentary includes scenes showing how inmates personalize tiny spaces—like stacking books in milk crates or decorating with candy wrappers.
- Some of the guards casually mention how their own families don’t understand what they go through—calling it “just a job,” even though it affects their sleep, moods, and parenting.
- The doc highlights that turnover is high for corrections officers. Many don’t last more than a few years before burning out or quitting entirely.
Wrap Up
“Welcome to Warren” isn’t just about prison. It’s about how confinement shapes everyone trapped inside its walls—whether you’re doing time or drawing a paycheck.
Thanks for reading!
Heather Fenty, Guest Writer, Daily Doc